During a reception at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, AFBF President Zippy Duvall addressed attendees on the current state of agriculture.
Duvall says the appointment of Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture will be very positive for American Agriculture. “You’ll enjoy working with him. He will not disappoint you, and he will work harder than anybody else. He wants to make rural america and agriculture sustainable for the future, and for the farms and families and the businesses around it, for them to thrive for the future.?
Duvall called for immigration reform that allows farmers the laborers they need for crop and livestock production. “It’s time for this country to make up it’s mind whether we’re gonna import our labor to plant and harvest our crops or whether we’re going to import our food.
On trade, Duvall said renegotiation of NAFTA will mean the opportunity to address some concerns in the trade agreement. But at the same time, agricultural trade between the U.S. Canada and Mexico must be preserved.
Duvall called for unity in agriculture, saying now is the best opportunity to stay engaged in agriculture policy
